Forget
crowded
malls,
endless
parking
lots,
and
long
lines.
From
groceries
to gifts,
you
can
buy
just
about
anything
online.
Online
shopping
can
save
you
time
and
money.
You
can
use
special
websites
called
comparison
shopping
sites
to find
the
best
price
for
any
given
item.
Although
Internet
shopping
won't
completely
replace
window
shopping
at the
mall,
when
you
know
exactly
what
you
want,
online
shopping
can't
be beat.
It is
also
perfect
for
when
you
need
to send
something
across
the
miles.
Need
a shower
present
for
your
niece
in Chicago?
Order
online.
Have
the
company
gift
wrap
the
present
and
insert
a gift
card
with
your
own
personalized
message.
No trip
to the
mall.
No trek
to the
post
office.
What
could
be easier?

Safe
and
Secure
Shopping

Nervous about shopping online? You are not alone. Many people enter the world
of online purchases with trepidation. Yet, as each year passes, more and more
people overcome their anxieties and jump online to make purchases. Nothing is
completely safe, but online shopping has proven itself with millions of
transactions being safely processed each day.

Trivia

The largest shopping mall in the United States, the Mall of America in
Minnesota, has more than 2.5 million square feet of retail space, but the
Internet carries more products.

There are a few simple things you need to do to make sure that your online
shopping is safe and secure. The first is in choosing trustworthy companies.
Because credit card fraud takes a bite out of their bottom lines, most reputable
companies have devoted a great deal of effort to ensure your shopping experience
is enjoyable, your personal information is safeguarded, and your transactions
are secure.

Finding a Reputable Company

Many of your favorite brick-and-mortar stores, to whom you have been loyal
over the years, now offer you the convenience of shopping online from their
"click and mortar" stores. These tried and true stores are usually safe
places to start.

Lingo

Brick-and-mortar refers to stores that sell their
wares from a physical building. Online versions of those stores are sometimes
called click-and-mortar.

You can also ask relatives and friends. Several good recommendations about an
online store should increase the possibility that you will want to shop
there.

Yet, sometimes you are faced with deciding if you want to make a purchase
from a store with which you are completely unfamiliar. For instance, say you
have been browsing for a while and you find a great buy on a cashmere sweater.
You find your size and you like the color, but you’ve never heard of the
company. Is it safe to buy this sweater online? What can you do to help ensure
that your money and your privacy are protected? First of all, before you place
your order, look for information about the company on its website, such as its
mailing address (not just a post office box) and its telephone number.

Unfortunately, anyone can set up an Internet website. If you are unfamiliar
with a particular company, one good way to check them out is to find out if they
have a toll-free telephone number you can call to get more information about
them. Again, ask your friends and neighbors if they are familiar with the
company and ask for their feedback.

Sandy's
Tip

If you are completely unfamiliar with an online store, it is always smart to
place a small order or two with them before you make a large purchase.

Secondly, read the site’s privacy policy. Every reputable website that
collects customer or user information should have a privacy policy explaining
how they protect the information submitted to their website. Some online
websites sell the information you give them to other companies. When making your
purchase, be sure not to give them permission to share your information to other
companies. Sometimes it’s in the fine print, so be careful when you are
placing your order. Exercise your right to opt out if you do not want the seller
to pass along information about you. If you do not agree with their privacy
policy, do not deal with that company.

There are several companies that put their seal of approval on privacy
statements. This is kind of like having a Good Housekeeping seal of approval on
a product. It certifies that the website adheres to strict privacy standards.
TRUSTe, a nonprofit organization that promotes privacy on the Internet, is one
of the most recognizable of these companies. If a website has a TRUSTe
certification, it doesn’t necessarily mean they carry good products or
give good service, but it is an indication that they care about the customer and
are more likely to be a substantial company.

Paying by Credit Card

After you have determined you are dealing with a reputable company, the most
important thing to watch out for when making an online purchase is whether the
web page on which you put your personal information, particularly your credit
card number, is secure. There are several ways to confirm you are protected, so
it is easy to practice safe online shopping.

There
are
two
very
simple
ways
to identify
a web
page
as secure.
Instead
of the
URL
in the
address
bar
beginning
with
http://, it begins with
https://, the extra s stands for secure. See Figure
3.1 for an example.

Figure 3.1 At the
Target website you see the https:// in the address bar, indicating that you are
on a secure web page.

In addition to seeing https://, you will also see a closed padlock, in all
browsers. One is not present without the other. Both of these features represent
secure sites that are using Secure Socket Layering (SSL), which is a
particularly reliable encryption process that scrambles credit card information
after it is entered and before it is transferred.

In Netscape and Opera, the lock is always visible, but it is in an unlocked
state when the page is not secure. In Internet Explorer, look for a gold locked
padlock at the bottom-right on the status bar. Firefox also puts a gold lock on
the status bar, but it looks a bit different than the one in IE. Opera uses a
gray lock to the right of the address bar, and Netscape Navigator uses a gold
lock with a gold hue surrounding it on the status bar. Just remember that a
closed lock, such as the one shown in Figure
3.2, means you are on a secure
page.

Do not look for the entire site to be secure. The page on which you put your
dress or shoe size, or where you indicated you want to purchase three copies of
a certain book, does not need to be a secure page. However, do not do business
with any company that does not offer you a secure page for your credit card,
shipping, and billing information. Remember to look for the https:// and the
closed padlock before entering any private personal information.

When you pay online using your credit card, the Fair Credit Billing Act will
protect your transaction. Under this legislation, consumers have the right to
dispute certain charges for goods or services they never received or ordered,
and they may temporarily withhold their payment. Generally, customers are held
liable for only the first $50 worth of unauthorized credit card charges. The
type of credit card used, however, can make a difference. Some credit card
companies provide supplemental warranties or other purchase-protection benefits.
If you have a problem with your purchase, you might be able to withhold payment
while your credit card company investigates the problem.

Sandy's
Tip

Be careful with debit cards. Many do not have the Fair Credit Act protection,
so you might be liable for more than $50 of unauthorized debit card charges.
Check with your bank for details.

Figure 3.2 The closed
yellow lock in the lower-right corner of this web page indicates that it is a
secure page.

Check the Return Policy

When shopping online, do not place any orders until you thoroughly understand
the company’s return policy. What if you do not like what you purchased?
Can it be returned? Is there a restocking fee? Will the company pay for the
return postage if the product arrives damaged? If the website also has a
brick-and-mortar store, can you return the product there? Will you get a refund
or will you have to settle for a store credit? Even if you are dealing with a
well-known business where you are a regular customer, be aware that some
companies have different rules for their online shoppers than they do for
purchasing items from their brick-and-mortar stores or mail order catalogs. You
do not want any surprises, so do your homework. Most companies make this
information easily understandable and accessible on their websites.

Blooper
Alert

Never enter your name, address, or credit card information until you have
determined you are on a secure web page.